Collapsible table



Oct 23, 1934.

R. H. GWYNN 1,977,848

COLLAPSIBLE TABLE 7 Filed May 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR F036;? 1 f7. GWWWV,

ATTORNEY @filo 23 R GWYNN COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Sheets-Shet 2 Filed May 8, 1933 ATTORNEY INVENTOR I ROBER r h! 6wY/v/v- Q Fl kin

Patented Oct. 23, I934 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE 'ooLLAPsIB E :TABLE g 7 Robert Gwynn, Glendale, Calif. a Application May 8, 1923, Serial No. 669,813

' Claims. (c1..45 11 The general object of the invention is to provide a strong and rigid table of the character stated, without legs atthe corners thereof to form ob; structions, but with detachable and foldablelegs,

55 which may be unfolded across each other at an angle and supported one upon the other, for sup: porting the top of the table, which may be' detachably secured to the upper ends of the legs, and which legs may be detached from the table top 1,!) and folded outfiat, side by side, and detachably secured to the under side of the top, when the table is not desired for use. g V 7 Another object is to provide a table of the character stated which'is simple in construction, inex pensive and easy to set up in position for use or to take down andiold'upwhen not in use. Other objects and adirant'ages will appear here: inaften n The invention is" illustrated in the annexed "2Q drawings whichform a part of this specification and in'which,

v Fig. 1 is a plan view of the legs of the table shown detached from the table top and folded' out flat. V

Fig. 2 is aview'like Fig. 1 except that one of the legs'is shown unfolded. f j v Fig. 3 is a view like Fig. 1 except that two of the legs are shown unfolded.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the legs shown all unfolded into position for supporting the table top.

"Fig! 5 isa view like F 4 with the'topof the table shown detachably secured to the upper ends of the legs of the table.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the assembled tablebut shown at an angle of forty-five degrees to'the position of the table as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a bottom plan view of the assembled table.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the table in col lapsed position, showing the legs folded out flat side by side and detachably secured to the und'er side of the top. I

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side view of one of the table legs and pivot pins, showing also the adjacent leg in dotted lines pivoted to the leg shown in full lines.

Fig. 10 is a view like angles thereto.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary vertical section of the table top and one leg detachably secured thereto, taken on line 1111 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 12 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 11 with the Fig. 9 but taken at right leg removed, showing the slotted plate to which 5; the engaging plate Qn theleg is detachablysecured for detachably securing upper ends of the legs.

Fig. 13 is a view of the table top to the the legs of the table shown folded out fiat and pivoted one to another by hinges instead of pivot pins, as illustrated in Figs.

9 and 10.

. Referring in detail to the drawings my table comprises-generally four legs designated respectively 1, 2, 3 and l, and atop designated 5 The leg 1 is pivoted to the leg 2 by a pivot pin 6, Theleg 2 is pivoted to theleg 3 bya pivot pin 7 The leg a pivot pin 8. The

3 is pivoted to the leg 4 by pivot pins 6, '7 and 8 extend at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees to thefle g s, .so that they may extend vertically to allow the legs to be unfolded into supporting position which position the legs extend at an angle of substantially forty-f ve degrees to the vertical (Figs, 5 and 6) The legsl, 2, 3 and irespe'ctively are provided with notches 9, 10, 11 and 12 in their upper side edges to receive the lower edges of the legs 4, 1, 2 and 3 supporting other and respectively, whereby the legs, when unfolded into position, are supported one upon the held rigidly together to provide a strong and rigid support for the table top 5, when secured upon, the upper. ends of the legs, as will be more fully described hereinafter. Engaging plates l3 are-secured to the upper ends of. the

legsfor'engaging slotted plates l i-secured to the under side oi the table top 5, diagonally of the top, said engaging plates being formed with. lugs .15 for extending through slots 16 .in said slotted plates and engagingthe inner sides of said slotted plates over the end edges 17 of said, slots,.and there beingspring locking plates 18 secured to the inner sides of said slotted plates for engaging said engagingplates and locking said lugs in engagement with said slot edges for detachably securing said table top in position on the upper .ends of ,said legs.

Buttons 19 are formed on said locking plateswhich extend through openings 20 in theslotted plates 14, which buttons may be depressedfor, disengaging said locking plates from said engagingplates, so that the top 5 may detached from the upper ends ofsaid legs.

In theupper edge of the leg 1 is provided a socket 21 to receive a pin 22 secured in a block 23 which is secured to the under side of the top 5 of the table, and in the lower edge of the leg {1 is provided a socket 24 to receive a spring-pressed pin 25 mounted in a block 26 secured to the under side of the table.

The operation, advantages and uses of my invention areasfollows;

loo

The legs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of my table fold up flat, on the pivots 6, 7 and 8, with the lowerside edges of the legs 1, 2 and 3 resting respectively against the upper side edges of the legs 2, 3 and 4, as shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 13 of the drawings, and the legs unfold on said pivots'progressively, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, into supporting position (Fig. 4) with the legs extending at angles of substantially forty-five degrees and the lower edges of the legs 4, 1, 2 and 3 resting in the notches 9, 10, 11 and 12 respectively in the upper side edges of the legs 1, 2, 3 and 4, whereby the legs are braced one against the other to form a strong and rigid support for the top 5 of the table.

In the position of the legs shown in Fig. 4, the

top 5 of the table is placed upon the upper ends of the legs and detachably secured thereto upon inserting the lugs 13 on the upper ends of the legs into the slotted plates 14 in the bottom of the top, as shown in Figs. 5 and 11. With the top of the table detachably secured'to the upper ends of the legs, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the table is set up in position for use.

Whenthe table is not in use the top 5 may be detached from the upper ends of the legs 1, 2, 3 and 4, by withdrawing the lugs 13 from engagement with the slotted plates 14, and the legs may then be folded, as shown in Fig. 1, and placed against the under side of the top, between the blocks 23 and and secured in such position upon inserting the pin 16 into the socket 15 in the leg 1 and inserting the pin 19 into the socket 18 in the leg 4, thus folding and packing up thetable for storage or transportation.

To remove the folded legs from the under side of the table top itis only necessary to withdraw the spring-pressed pin 25 from the socket 24 in the leg 4 and lift the legs, the leg 4 foremost, from between the blocks 23 and. 24, the pin 22 withdrawing fromthe socket 21 to permit such removal of the legs from the top.

The position of the slotted plates 14, on the table top, to which the engaging plates 13, on the legs, are detachably secured, positions the legs diagonally of the top, whereby it is possible to spread the lower ends of the legs further apart without extending outwardly beyond the edges of the table top, thus giving the legs a wider and more substantial supporting base than otherwise if the legs extended parallel to edges of the table.

The construction and arrangement of the legs of my table eliminates legs at the corners of the table, which form obstructions that are often in the way of persons using the table or walking near the same.

The legs of my table, instead of being pivoted together by thepivot pins 6, 7 and 8, may be hinged one to another by hinges 26, 27 and 28, as illustrated in Fig. 13.

I claim as my invention:

1. A table comprising a plurality of legs pivoted one to another on pivots extending diagonally across the adjoining side edges of adjoining legs to unfold into supporting position at an angle, with each leg resting upon and supported by another leg, and to fold up into a flat position with adjacent legs resting with their side edges one against another, a table top, means for detachably securing said top upon the upper ends of said legs when unfolded into supporting position.

2. A table comprising a plurality of legs pivoted one to another on pivots extending diagonally across the adjoining side edges of adjoining legs to unfold into supporting position at an angle, with each leg resting upon and supported by another leg, and to fold up into a fiat position with the side edges of adjacent legs resting one against another, one edge of each leg being formed with a. notch to receive the opposite edge of an adjacent leg, when said legs are unfolded into supporting position, a table top, means for detachably securing said top upon the upper ends of said legs, when unfolded into supporting position. r

3. A table comprising a plurality of legs pivoted one to another on pivots extending diagonally across the adjoining side edges of adjoining legs to unfold into supporting position at an angle, with each leg resting upon and supported by another leg, and to fold up into a fiat position with the side edges of adjacent legs resting one against another, the upper edge of each leg being formed with a notch to receive the lower edge of an adjacent leg, when said legs are unfolded into supporting position, a-table top, means for detachably securing said top upon the upper ends of said legs, when unfolded into supporting position.

4. A table comprising a plurality of legs pivoted one to another on pivots extending diagonally across the adjoining side edges of adjoining legs to unfold into supporting position at an angle with their pivots extending verticallyand with each leg resting upon and supported by another leg, and'to fold up into a flat position with the side edges of adjacent legs one against another, a table top, means for detachably securing said top upon the upper ends of said legs when unfolded into supporting position.

5. A table comprising a plurality, of legs piv oted one to another to'unt'old into supporting position at an, angle with each leg resting upon and supported by another leg, and to fold up flat with the side edges of adjacent legsresting one against another, a table top, meansfondetachably securing said'top upon the upper ends of said legs when unfoldedinto supporting position, blocks secured to the under side of the top between which said legs, when their upperends are detached from said top and folded fiat,are placed, means for detachably securing said folded legs between said blocks.

6. A table comprising a plurality of foldable legs pivoted, one to another on pivots extending diagonally across adjoining edges of adjoining legs to unfold intosupporting position "at an angle, with each leg resting upon and supported by another leg and. y a. table top, and means for detachably securing said top upon the upper ends of said legs when unfolded, with the legs extending diagonally of thetop.

7. A table comprising a'fplur'ality of legs pivoted one to another to unfold into supporting position','engaging' plates secured to the upper ends of said legs respectively, a top for the table, slotted plates secured to the under side of the top to be engaged by said engaging plates, when said legs are unfolded into supporting position, for detachably securing said top to the upper ends of the unfolded'legs, and locking plates for detachably locking said engaging plates inengagement with said slotted plate 8. A table top as characterized by claim 1 including means for detachably securing said legs, when folded up flat, to the under sideof the table top. A

9. A folding leg construction comprising a pluplurality of legs, hinges secured to one side of said legs with each hinge pivot extending at an angle across the adjoining edges of two adjoining legs, to enable said legs to fold adjacent and parallel to one another into flat position and to unfold into operative position with each leg extending at an angle to and resting upon an adjacent leg.

ROBERT H. GWYNN. 

